


Expanding Horizons

by TheEigthPillarGeneral



Series: Black Moon [21]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, F/M, Halloween, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Past Violence, Romance, Visual Kei, costume porn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 18:36:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15913953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEigthPillarGeneral/pseuds/TheEigthPillarGeneral
Summary: With Halloween coming up, and a party that they've been invited to just around the corner, Renji and his bandmates prepare for some busy months in preparation for their live and album release while Byakuya seeks advice on how to deal with his family.





	Expanding Horizons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [junko](https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/gifts), [Josey (cestus)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cestus/gifts).



> Orihime is one of my favourite characters, so she plays a pretty big part in this instalment. I hope you enjoy her interactions with Byakuya. Also, some warnings for mentions of abusive families and violence.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

“Alright guys, the camera’s ready!” Yoruichi said, positioning it so that it was facing the members of Black Moon. All of them were dressed in their outfits for the Halloween live, makeup all done on their faces, and they stood against the wall of a studio. Ichigo and Hitsugaya sat at the front, while Hisagi, Chad, and Renji stood behind them against the wall.

Today, they were recording a comment video for Vizards TV to promote their Halloween live, their upcoming album, and the subsequent tour. Each member would speak a few words about everything that was to come before giving a few words of encouragement to the viewers to look forward to it.

When the camera started recording, Ichigo started speaking. “Hello, all Vizards TV viewers, this is Black Moon,” he said, bowing along with his bandmates.

Each member introduced themselves before Ichigo continued. “So, October’s already here and it’s gonna get really busy soon,” he was saying. “On the 30th, we have our Halloween live coming up at Akasaka Blitz; it’s our first Halloween live and we’re looking forward to it, and we hope to see lots of people there. Also, try and dress up, okay? It’ll be really fun if you do!”

They laughed a little before Hitsugaya spoke next. “And as you know, our album ‘Dark of the Bleeding Moon’ is coming out on November 26th in Japan, Europe, and North America; the preorder for both the regular and limited editions is on our website so make sure you place your orders as soon as you can,” he said. “We’ve worked hard on it, so we hope you’ll enjoy it.”

“We’ll also be releasing a little preview video for the album two weeks before the release date, so be on the lookout for that, alright?” Hisagi added. “The limited edition of the album will also contain the music videos of ‘Gomi Tame’, ‘Black & White’, ‘Momoiro no Hana’, and some behind-the-scenes stuff for each one. Again, we hope you look forward to it.”

Then it was Renji’s turn. “And on the second of December, we’ll be starting our Live Tour 18: Zangetsu in Yokosuka, and finishing on January 24th in Nara,” he said. “It’ll be our first tour and we’re really excited for it, and we hope that you’re all just as excited. There’s also going to be autograph sessions in each city, so you can bring your albums, posters, notebooks, whatever you’d like to get autographed by us. We can’t wait to see you guys there!”

“We’ll also have a tour finale on February 25th at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium,” Chad said. “If you want to find out more about the tour, then you can check our website for the dates, venues, and times for the autograph sessions.”

Ichigo smiled at the camera. “Thank you, everyone, for your support,” he said sincerely before he and the rest of the band bowed again. When they straightened up, he continued. “These next few months are gonna be real busy, but we’re all pretty excited about it and we can’t wait to see you guys. We’re gonna work hard to make sure our album sounds awesome, and we hope all of you will enjoy it. Thank you again for your support!”

And with a wave to the camera from all members, it was finished. Once the camera was turned off, Renji and the others went to the dressing room to remove the makeup and change back into their regular clothes.

“You think anyone’s gonna show up in costume for the Halloween live?” Hisagi asked as he wiped off excess water from his makeup-free face.

“Dunno,” Ichigo said, having removed all the stitch effects from his body and face. “I kinda hope people show up in costume, though.”

Once everyone had changed and washed off the makeup, they went to the meeting room to discuss an upcoming party they’d been invited to. This time, it was a Halloween party that Matsumoto Rangiku was hosting. The costume party would be happening three days before their Halloween concert and a good number of people in both the music and entertainment industries had been invited, not just musicians.

“Can’t believe we got invited to one of Rangiku-san’s parties!” Hisagi said, looking quite eager. “I heard that they’re supposed to be some of the best!”

“Well, she did make the list of ‘Celebrity Party Animals’, didn’t she?” Hitsugaya said. “Come to think of it, so did Hirako Shinji and Yadomaru Lisa.”

“So, where’s it being held?” Renji asked.

“V2 Tokyo in Roppongi,” Yoruichi said. “A lot of celebrities and other industry people are gonna be there. Kisuke’s been invited, so have Shinji and Lisa, Byakuya also got an invite, and I know Soifon’s also gonna come. Same with Yumichika and Ikkaku.”

Renji had to admit, he looked forward to this party. Back in his days at Las Noches, the Kabukicho cabaret where he and Grimmjow had worked at to make ends meet, there were some Halloween parties every year. He and Grimmjow would always dance those nights since they got paid pretty well. Halloween and Valentine's Day were the best nights to dance, as Renji had learned.

After a discussion about another upcoming photoshoot to promote the album release and tour, as well as an upcoming interview with a Mexican music magazine, the meeting was over. While walking out of the meeting room, Renji decided he wanted to hang out with Rukia for a little bit today. Besides, he remembered her saying that today was a free day for her. With that, he headed over to her office after sending her a text.

“Oi, Rukia,” he said, opening the door. “Wanna hang out?”

Rukia glanced up from her desk in surprise. “Renji? What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Meeting’s done, and we’ve recorded our comment video,” Renji told her. “I also just wanna hang out with my best friend, you know?” He smiled teasingly.

“Okay, sure,” Rukia said, smiling slightly. “Come on in.”

Renji entered her office and pulled up a chair right next to her. “So, how’s it going?” he asked.

“I guess it’s fine,” Rukia said, shrugging. “I’ve been kind of busy lately, so I’m just taking a break right now.” As if remembering something right then, her eyes brightened. “Nii-sama released the music video for ‘Kanade Aragai Kou’ recently. You wanna watch it with me?”

“Of course!” Renji said, watching as Rukia pulled up the video on her phone. He leaned closer so that he had a better view of the screen.

As Renji had thought, ‘Kanade Aragai Kou’ had turned out to be even more popular than ‘Yozora no Kawa’. The fact that the song ‘Sen no Yoru wo Koete’ had been one of the bonus tracks certainly seemed to help; plus, it teased the fans who found the thought of Byakuya and Renji in a relationship attractive.

Rukia tapped the play button and the video started.

The video had been filmed in a traditional Japanese manor, lit up with soft lighting to suit the atmosphere. First shown was a set of shoji screen doors, which slid open to reveal a large room surrounded by fusuma panels decorated with a peacock among trees. As the camera panned over a gold byobu decorated with an egret by a pond, soft shamisen music played in the background.

Finally, the camera focused on Byakuya, sitting in seiza and playing a shamisen outside upon the engawa porch, his eyes lined with eyeliner and black eyeshadow and lips painted with pale-pink lipstick this time. His eyes were closed, his hair decorated with intricate ornamental hairpieces (three on the top of his head and two on the right side above his ear), and he wore an azure silk yukata lined with gold, an obi around his waist, and stylishly-ripped skin-tight black pants underneath. And upon his feet were black boots with gold dragon patterns.

Even when looking punk, Byakuya looked effortlessly transcendent.

The camera lingered on him for a few moments as the shamisen music slowed. Then, Byakuya opened his eyes and just as the music started, it cut to him playing the opening shamisen notes inside a room surrounded by the same peacock fusuma panels, this time with the members of Nejibana, all dressed in a traditional-punk fusion style as well. When the beat dropped and the band joined in on the music, the camera panned over each member at their instrument before focusing on Byakuya.

As Byakuya lip-synced the lyrics, Renji saw a subdued passion in his eyes, the same one he’d seen during his first gig. It was honestly beautiful, watching this usually composed, collected man drop that aloof façade and let himself do what he enjoyed the most. Even more, the way he mixed both a punk style with traditional Japanese style was really clever and kinda hot, honestly.

“What’s in his hair?” Renji asked.

“Nii-sama calls them ‘kenseikan’,” Rukia said. “He had them made for this video specifically. You know how he said he was working with the concepts of beauty and nobility, right? Well, for this video, he wanted to try and mix the concept of nobility with youthful spirit, which is why his outfit is the way it is.”

“That so?” Renji said, not taking his eyes off the screen. “Well, I gotta hand it to him, he looks so good like that.”

“Nii-sama looks good in anything,” Rukia agreed.

When the video finished, Rukia set her phone to the side. “As happy as I am about Nii-sama making a name for himself, I’m kind of worried about him,” she admitted. “I mean, he’s already been getting such hateful reactions from the family; it’s even worse than when they found out that he had married Hisana-nee.”

“He told me about it, yeah,” Renji said.

“And to top it off, they’ve started messaging me,” Rukia said, sighing. “They want me to try and get Nii-sama to end his career and all that.”

“I don’t get it, why the hell are they even doing those things?” Renji asked. “Didn’t they already disown him when he married Hisana? So why are they suddenly doing this?”

Rukia shook her head. “Control, of course,” she said. “Before he met Hisana, they could control Nii-sama and his career path, everything he did had to be run by them, all that. But after they disowned him, it gave Nii-sama the freedom to do whatever he wanted, which included starting a musical career. They just want to regain control of him because they hate that he’s doing something they forbade him from pursuing all those years ago. Which is why they’re doing all this ‘family’ bullshit and trying to guilt him back.”

That made sense, actually. No wonder they were trying to threaten Byakuya back under their shadow. When he was under their control, he was trapped and restricted tremendously. But now that he’d been disowned, Byakuya was doing things he’d been forbidden from doing, and he was standing up to them as well. And they definitely did not like that at all.

“You know, Nii-sama told me you actually stood up to his aunt and uncle,” Rukia said, interrupting Renji’s thoughts. “What was that like?”

“Well,” Renji started, chuckling a little. “First, they got really annoyed when they saw me, since they were convinced I must’ve made Byakuya get his ears pierced and his arm tattooed but they got even more annoyed when I refused to leave. Told them they could sort out whatever it was while I was there. His uncle tried to hit him, but I grabbed his arm before he could.”

Rukia looked both surprised and pleased. “You actually did that?” she asked.

“Yep,” Renji said. “They just left after that.”

“Oh man, I wish I could’ve seen that!” Rukia said, earning a laugh from Renji.

* * *

Byakuya didn’t know how much more of this he could take.

Just this morning, he’d gotten a message from Rukia about his family contacting her, and he’d been furious. Repeatedly calling him was one thing, but to hear that they’ve tried to drag Rukia into this was unforgivable. And as helpful and supportive as Renji was, all he needed from Renji was his support. In terms of advice, he needed it from someone who’d been in his situation, or in a similar situation.

Which was why he’d contacted Inoue Orihime, of all people. Well, he’d first contacted Arisawa Tatsuki, the manager for the Beauty Queens, and had asked to meet with Orihime before he managed to get her number. He’d arranged a meeting with her in his office this afternoon, since she had gone through a similar situation a couple of years ago. Hell, her story was fairly well-known among her fanbase.

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door. “Can I come in?” Orihime asked from the other side.

“The door is open,” Byakuya said, watching as the door opened.

Orihime stepped inside the office, dressed in a pale-pink blouse and a long blue skirt. As always, her hair was adorned with a six-petaled flower hairpin on both sides of her head, just above her ears. Those hair pins were considered a signature part of her, yet Byakuya had seen high-quality imitations of those pins being sold as official merchandise.

“How are you doing, Inoue-san?” he asked politely.

“I’m fine, thank you. And you?” Orihime asked, sitting down across from him.

“I could’ve been better,” Byakuya admitted.

“You wished to speak with me about something difficult, Kuchiki-san?” she asked.

Byakuya nodded. “Yes,” he said. “It’s… It’s about my family. If this is too painful or personal for you, it’s alright, you don’t have to-”

“It’s alright,” Orihime reassured, giving him a friendly smile. “I’ll always listen to these kinds of things.”

So he elaborated, telling her about how they’d been repeatedly contacting him, trying to get him to end his budding career, and now dragging Rukia into this whole thing. Orihime listened without interrupting, and with no judgement in her eyes. Instead, all Byakuya saw was gentle understanding.

“It’s the worst, isn’t it?” Orihime said, a sad smile crossing her face. “They’re supposed to be your family, yet all they want to do is control everything you do and lose their minds when you break free from their control.”

“If I may ask, what exactly happened in your situation?” Byakuya asked.

“My parents were abusive deadbeats,” Orihime said. “So my brother ran away with me when I was really little. But after he died while I was in middle school, my mother bullied her way into my life again. She said she was alone after my father passed away, but all she wanted was to control me.”

A look of regret crossed her face. “At the time, I was desperate for a normal relationship with my mother, so I just let her walk all over me,” she said. “She neglected me, told me that I’d never amount to anything, and expected me to be her servant to take care of her in her old age. Ultimately, I just couldn’t take it, so I took the first train out of Osaka to Tokyo just to escape from her. And when she tried to make me come back under her wing after I started my career with Rangiku-chan, she… snapped.”

Byakuya nodded slowly. “To think she would actually try and attack you at a fan event,” he said. “I had no idea she was capable of such things.”

“Well, I guess she was used to me being a doormat most of my life,” Orihime said. “But when I first came to Tokyo, Hisana-san took me under her wing and became my mentor. Both she and Rangiku-chan taught me how to stand up for myself, so I’m really grateful to them for that.”

“Hisana also taught me how to be a bit more assertive as well,” Byakuya recalled, smiling wistfully. “I should be grateful that none of my family members have tried to attack me like that, though. But I am curious. Just what was it that led her to hurt you?”

“I blocked her out of my life,” Orihime said. “After a confrontation at the studio, I blocked her phone number, changed mine, deleted her emails, and whenever she sent enablers after me, I cut them off as well. She couldn’t handle this, so she tried to hurt me at a fan event.”

Byakuya remembered how that had made the news: a young and upcoming idol singer had been stabbed with a knife by her own mother at a handshake event in Akihabara. The wound hadn’t been severe, fortunately, but eyewitness reports had stated how Orihime’s mother had been screaming at Orihime about how she was an ungrateful brat, that she was being written out of the will, and other hurtful things. But in spite of all the threats from her, Orihime opened up publicly about the abuse she suffered from her mother, thus resulting in charges being pressed and her mother receiving a hefty prison sentence for child abuse and attempted murder.

“It must’ve been difficult,” Byakuya said. “Especially after that attack.”

“It was,” Orihime agreed. “When you’ve been a scapegoat for your family’s torment and you break free from that role, they’ll do anything to get back that power and control over you. That’s why my mother tried to hurt me, because I dared to stand up to her, to have a mind of my own. But thanks to the support system I had, especially Hisana-san, Rangiku-chan, Rukia-san, and Tatsuki-chan, I was able to heal from everything my mother put me through.”

“Do you hate your mother for what she did to you?” Byakuya asked.

A sad smile crossed her face. “I… I honestly don’t know,” she said. “For so long, I’ve suppressed a lot of negative emotions because the last time I expressed them, my brother died. And I’ve always regretted it. But there is no chance for reconciliation with my mother; I can’t forgive her for trying to sabotage my career repeatedly. Besides, I still have nightmares sometimes.”

He never would’ve thought that, especially since Orihime was always so cheerful and kind every single day.

“Forgive me for saying this, but I’m glad your mother is in prison,” Byakuya said sincerely. “She deserves to rot in there.”

Orihime chuckled. “It’s okay, Rangiku-chan, Tatsuki-chan, and Rukia-san have told me the same thing,” she said. “And you, Kuchiki-san? Do you hate your family for what they’ve done to you?” she asked.

“I suppose I’ve become… indifferent to them,” Byakuya admitted. “But I try not to think about them as much as I can. I’ve been getting support from Renji, Rukia, Ukitake, and my backing band and I truly appreciate it, especially the support I’ve gotten from Renji. He’s the one who helped me start my musical career.” He blushed slightly, which did not go unnoticed.

Upon seeing the blush on his face, Orihime looked at him in surprise for a few moments. “You and Abarai-kun…?” she asked.

Byakuya didn’t say anything, but Orihime managed to put two and two together. And with that, she also blushed a little bit. “Oh wow… so those rumours are true,” she said, giggling. “And all that pretty hair…”

Byakuya smiled briefly before he got back on track. “Anyways, how should I deal with my family?” he asked.

“Right,” Orihime remembered. “Well, you should change your phone number and block their numbers as well. Delete their emails and block them if you can. Also, with Rukia-san, you should tell her to change her number as well. And lastly, if they don’t stop, tell them that you’re not above filing a lawsuit against them. I did that with my mother, since she was always concerned about her public image as a loving mom… it only lasted a short while, but I’m sure it will work with your family.”

That would definitely be effective, Byakuya thought. After all, they were concerned with their reputation and their public image, so threatening them with a harassment lawsuit may get them to back off. He only hoped it wouldn’t have to come to that.

“Thank you for your time, Inoue-san,” he said. “I truly appreciate your advice.”

“Oh, not at all! I’m happy to help!” Orihime said, smiling kindly as she stood up from her chair. “When it comes to unsupportive family and child abuse, I will gladly do whatever I can to help someone out.”

For all her ingénue cuteness, her whimsical silliness, and naive image she sold to her fanbase, Orihime was quite mature and very smart. And her compassion was definitely something much beloved about her by both fans and other artists, especially since she’d also become a child advocate and frequently contributed to organizations dedicated to ending child abuse.

“Also,” Byakuya added, “can you keep my relationship with Renji a secret?”

Orihime nodded, her eyes glinting playfully. “Secret’s safe with me!” she said, doing the lips-sealed motion. “See you around!”

When she left, Byakuya felt unusually… relieved. Talking to Renji about what he went through as a child had been cathartic, especially since Renji had listened without judging him. But talking to Orihime, someone who experienced something similar in her childhood, made him feel validated.

No one else understood when Byakuya had tried talking to others, especially when he was younger. He was always told that his family knew what was good for him, to listen to them; no one would even listen to him. But Hisana, Renji, and even Orihime understood. They listened, they didn’t judge, and they helped him get through it.

Perhaps he should let his grandmother know that he would file a lawsuit against her, his aunt and uncle, and the rest of the family in the next email they sent. Knowing them, they’d probably be stunned that Byakuya was actually doing this, but he didn’t care anymore.

Because he wasn’t alone. And knowing that made Byakuya feel a lot lighter than he’d ever felt in a long time.

* * *

The nightlife of the Roppongi district was as lively and buoyant as always, but with Halloween in four days, the atmosphere had a different kind of cheeriness and energy to it. It was one full of mischief and light-hearted spirit as various party-goers headed into clubs, dressed up in a variety of costumes.

Renji and his bandmates were all dressed up in their costumes, which turned out to be incredibly impractical when they stepped outside the car to go into the club. Since the weather had become cooler, Renji found himself holding his black blazer closed to avoid the chilly night wind hitting his exposed chest. Why didn’t Ishida think of adding a zipper onto this thing?

“You cold?” Yoruichi asked, glancing at Renji.

Yoruichi was dressed up in a pink and purple Cheshire Cat costume, looking quite out of place among the rest of the band. But neither of them minded that much. Besides, it was Halloween.

“Yeah,” Renji said, shivering slightly. “Goddammit, why didn’t Ishida put a zipper onto this again?”

“It’s not that bad, Renji,” Hitsugaya said.

Renji snorted. “Easy for you to say, Father Hitsugaya,” he quipped, glancing at the long black priest outfit he wore.

“Don’t make me force you onto your knees for repentance,” Hitsugaya retorted dryly.

“Oooh, you’re gonna make me confess my sins?” Renji teased.

While everyone else laughed, Hitsugaya rolled his eyes.

It wasn’t long before they arrived at V2 Tokyo. After presenting their invitations, they entered the classy-looking club that was filled with costumed people and decorated with various Halloween ornaments.

Right then, Rangiku approached them, smiling as she greeted them.

“Hey, you guys came!” Rangiku said, eyeing them appreciatively. “And wow, you look awesome! Loving the costumes!”

Rangiku was dressed up as a witch, wearing a strapless black dress lined with orange, knee-high black boots, a black cape, a witch’s hat upon her head, and holding a broomstick.

“Thanks for inviting us,” Yoruichi said, grinning. “And you look awesome too! Where’s Orihime?”

“Right here!” Orihime appeared from one of the lounges to stand next to Rangiku. Her cheerful face peeked out of a hole in an orange sheet draped over her figure, and she looked downright adorable. But…

“Um… what’s your costume, exactly?” Renji asked, observing her strange costume.

“A pumpkin ghost, of course!” Orihime said, as though it should be obvious.

“A-Ah, right…” Ichigo said, looking slightly disbelieving. “So… why a pumpkin ghost?”

“Because I like pumpkins and ghosts! And besides, the zombie bride costume worked better as a photoshoot outfit, not as a costume,” she explained.

“But you still look cute!” Rangiku told her. “Come, you guys. Why don’t you have some drinks?”

As they followed Rangiku and Orihime into the club, Renji got a look at all the other costumes around him. He saw Soifon dressed as a black cat in a Playboy-esque leotard, fishnet stockings, cat ears, and a tail. Urahara Kisuke was dressed up in an elaborate green Mad Hatter costume, and upon seeing Yoruichi, he insisted that she come and have some drinks with him.

“Well, I’m off now!” Yoruichi said, waving to them as she followed Urahara. “See you around!”

Gradually, the group split up along the way into the club. Hitsugaya went to hang out with Momo, who was dressed as a cat maid, while Hisagi went with Rangiku. Upon seeing his cousin, Ichigo went to hang out with him and catch up while Chad followed. So Renji decided to head down to the bar,

When he reached the bar, Renji saw Byakuya sitting at the counter. He couldn’t help but smile at his outfit: a regal vampire costume with a cape and a lace jabot around his neck. Hell, he even had small fangs peeking at the corners of his lips. To top it all off, Byakuya was sipping at a glass of red wine.

While he didn’t seem to notice Renji yet, he didn’t let that stop him.

Renji approached the bar and sat down next to Byakuya, leaning closer to him. “Are you the moon, baby? Because I feel like howlin’ for you right now,” he murmured teasingly into his ear.

Byakuya turned to Renji, his eyebrows raised at the cheesy pickup line. “Did you seriously attempt a pick up line on me?” he asked.

“What can I say?” Renji laughed. “You look awesome as a vampire.”

“I could say the same for you,” Byakuya said, eyeing Renji’s exposed chest appreciatively. “It’s a little cooler outside though. Wasn’t that inconvenient?”

“Yeah, it was,” Renji said. “Kinda wish Ishida had added a zipper so I could’ve closed it up when I went outside. But hey, it’s fine now.”

“I see.”

While Renji ordered a Halloween cocktail from the bartender, Byakuya observed Renji’s werewolf costume, taking note of the wolf ears upon his head, the wolf tail on his pants that hung over the stool, and the black fake claws upon his nails. As hot as the outfit looked, the wolf ears were actually kind of cute.

“So, you ready to release ‘Ikka Senjinka’ yet?” Renji asked. “How was making the music video, by the way?”

“It went well,” Byakuya said. “The Schloss Bruchsal was quite beautiful, and I think everyone will like this video. And you? Did you get a chance to go to Zaraki Kenpachi’s music festival?”

“No, unfortunately. I was preparing for the Halloween live at Akasaka Blitz and doing some more promotional things for the album,” Renji said, shrugging. “But hey, I can always go next year.” He took a sip of the blood-red cocktail the bartender had passed to him.

At some point, a photographer came up to them and requested for a photo of the both of them. Even though Byakuya wasn’t really one for paparazzi shots, a lot of people were getting their photos taken so it would seem a little out of place to turn it down. And besides, a vampire and a werewolf taking a picture together? It was kind of funny for some reason.

So he obliged.

“You do know that the fans are only gonna get even more thirsty after this photo, don’t you?” Renji murmured so that only Byakuya could hear him.

A brief smile flickered on Byakuya’s lips. “Yes, I do know that,” he said. “But it isn’t so bad to indulge them, isn’t it?”

They had about four photos taken together. In one of them, Byakuya had decided to show off a surprisingly playful side by pretending to bite Renji’s neck in a very suggestive manner, before they returned to the bar with an access code in order to get the pictures from the photographer’s website.

“You got me there, I’ll give you that,” Renji chuckled. “I didn’t know you had a playful side. Are you drunk, Byakuya?”

“From only a few sips of wine? Please, it’ll take a lot more wine to get me drunk,” Byakuya responded, sounding amused.

“Hey, what’s this about getting drunk?” Right then, Rukia showed up right next to Byakuya, dressed in a cute pink dress with tiny horns upon her head, pink wings on her back, and a trident. “Don’t tell me you’ve been drinking, Nii-sama.”

Renji shook his head. “No, don’t worry, it’s just about a photo we took,” he said, smiling. “Byakuya pretended to bite me on the neck in one of them.”

While Rukia looked amused, Renji could also see a bit of concern on her face. “Is… Is that a good idea, Nii-sama?” she asked. “You do know what they’ll be like if they see a photo like that.”

‘They’ was most definitely his family. But to Renji’s surprise, Byakuya didn’t even seem too perturbed. “If they’re upset by it, that’s their problem,” he said. “I spoke with Inoue Orihime and she gave me some good advice, I believe. She told me she’s dealt with similar issues from her own mother.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Rukia said, looking disgusted.

“Wait, you met Inoue’s mom?” Renji asked.

Rukia sighed. “Yep, and she’s awful,” she said. “Like, this was shortly after the Beauty Queens released their first hit single. I was about to help Inoue record her vocal parts when we saw this older woman storm into the building while demanding to see ‘her baby’. Inoue tried to hide from her but the woman saw her and, I kid you not, she just started screaming at at her. Demanding her to come home and be her caretaker, calling her an ungrateful runaway bitch… Inoue had been so scared. And that… it was really upsetting.”

She shook her head. “I hate that woman more than anything, especially after Inoue told me about what she did to her in her childhood. And when she stabbed Inoue at the handshake event in Akihabara… well, that woman should be grateful that she’s in prison away from me. Because I will protect Inoue from her mother with my life!”

Renji gave Rukia a teasing smile as he chuckled, much to Rukia’s surprise. “Sounds like someone’s got a crush on her,” he teased.

Rukia blushed, but she didn’t deny it.

“That’s very noble of you, Rukia,” Byakuya said sincerely. “Inoue Orihime is lucky to have a friend like you.”

“No, I’m lucky to be working with her,” Rukia told him. “Did you guys even see the costume she’s wearing tonight? It’s so adorable!”

They chatted with Rukia a little longer before she left, wanting to hang out with Orihime and Rangiku. For a short while, Renji and Byakuya talked about random and trivial topics over drinks, as well as upcoming events. As it turned out, Byakuya had an upcoming interview with Shinji and Lisa on Vizards TV, just after the release of ‘Ikka Senjinka’ towards the end of October. He was just talking about it to Renji when two familiar people, both with hair in similar colours, showed up at the bar.

“Well, if it isn’t the Red Pineapple,” Grimmjow greeted, getting Renji’s attention. “Or should I call you the Red Wolf?”

“Grimmjow?” Renji said, surprised to see both Grimmjow and Nelliel, the both of them dressed in matching pirate costumes, at the bar.

Nelliel smiled. “Hey, Renji, Byakuya-san!” she said cheerily. “So good to see you again!”

“I didn’t think I’d see you guys here!” Renji said, smiling at them. “Were you invited?”

Nelliel’s eyes glinted playfully. “No, but see, I happen to be good friends with Tier Halibel,” she said, much to Renji and Byakuya’s surprise. “And since the invitations said that guests could bring a friend or two, she decided to bring Grimmjow and I to the party as well!”

Meanwhile, Grimmjow looked over Renji and Byakuya’s costumes. “A werewolf and a vampire, huh?” he said, a knowing smirk crossing his face. “Nice. Gotta admit, you two look kinda hot!”

Renji blushed slightly while Byakuya averted his eyes in mild embarrassment, much to Grimmjow’s amusement. “Oh damn, did you see this, Nelliel? They’re so-”

“Grimmjow! Don’t tease them!” Nelliel chided lightly, tapping his upper arm. “Don’t worry about Grimm, you guys look great!” She glanced over at Byakuya. “So, how’s that tattoo doing?”

“It’s turned out wonderful,” Byakuya said. “Thank you again.”

“Nelliel does wonderful tattoos, doesn’t she?”

Right then, Tier Halibel showed up, dressed in a regal midnight-blue queen costume. Flanking her were Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun, dressed up as a lady knight, a medieval sorceress, and a noble maiden, respectively. And as always, they looked as dignified as ever.

“Good evening, Halibel-san,” Byakuya greeted. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Right, I heard through the grapevine that you and Renji-san had come to our concert in Saitama,” Halibel remembered. “Did you like it?”

“Yeah, it was awesome,” Renji said. “And can I just say, you’re so good at growling!”

Apacci grinned. “That’s our Halibel for you,” she said proudly. “But you should hear how she sounds on our next album, ‘Reina’. It’s gonna be so good!”

“Hey, don’t go telling people about it before we’ve even started recording!” Mila Rose snapped, lightly swatting Apacci’s upper arm.

“Oh, look who’s talking!” Apacci responded, frowning at her bandmate. “You have no room to talk, you gorilla!”

“What’d you just call me?!”

“Both of you, stop,” Sung-Sun said, side-eyeing them in disapproval. “You’re already giving me a migraine!”

Halibel just sighed as she glanced at a surprised Byakuya and Renji. “Don’t worry about it,” she reassured. “Both Apacci and Mila Rose are incredibly stubborn, so they tend to butt heads a lot. But they do care about each other.”

Well, that was good to hear, Renji thought.

“Congratulations on starting your career, Kuchiki-san,” Halibel said to Byakuya. “I look forward to hearing your album when it releases. And the same goes to you, Abarai-san. I hope ‘Dark of the Bleeding Moon’ turns out well.”

“Yeah, Nel and I already pre-ordered our copies,” Grimmjow said, lightly elbowing Renji. “We got our hopes high for this album, Renji!”

“Don’t worry. Once you hear the preview video, you’ll be dying for the release date,” Renji reassured them. He then glanced at Grimmjow’s costume, a teasing smile on his face. “A pirate, huh. Thought you’d dress up as a panther, catboy.”

Grimmjow scowled lightly at him. “Oh yeah? I’m surprised you decided to show up as a werewolf instead of a pineapple,” he retorted.

“Oh for fuck’s- I don’t even wear that ponytail anymore!”

“Sure, but you’ll always be a pineapple.”

“Yeah? Then you’ll always be a catboy.”

Nelliel shook her head. “Ugh, I can smell the testosterone already! It’s overwhelming my delicate womanly senses!” she said, pretending to swoon as she rolled her eyes. “See what I have to put up with sometimes?” she asked, glancing at Byakuya.

“It’s alright,” Byakuya said, looking amused.

"Yeah, but you love me anyways," Grimmjow teased, raising an eyebrow as he smiled suggestively at Nelliel.

Nelliel blushed and giggled. "I sure do," she said, blushing even further when Grimmjow teasingly blew a kiss at her.

“Byakuya-kun, Renji-kun! What a pleasant surprise.” Right then, Kyoraku and Ukitake approached the bar.

Renji just stared at him, not knowing how to react to the fact that Kyoraku was dressed in what was probably the world’s creepiest scarecrow costume. And next to him, Ukitake was dressed as a knight. It was actually really bizarre.

 _What the fuck?_ He thought as he smiled at Kyoraku.

Even Byakuya looked a little bit taken aback. “It’s nice seeing you here, Kyoraku-san,” he said.

Kyoraku laughed. “You two look a little surprised. Is it my costume?” he asked. “I’ve gotten that reaction from practically everyone else!”

Ukitake smiled at them. “But you two look wonderful tonight,” he said, glancing at Kyoraku. “Remember that time when we dressed up as a werewolf and vampire when we were younger?”

“Of course,” Kyoraku said, chuckling. “You made the perfect vampire. I, on the other hand, was hairy enough to be a werewolf!”

“You still are,” Ukitake said fondly.

Byakuya hung out with Renji, Grimmjow, and Nelliel for the rest of the night, enjoying the friendly banter between Renji and Grimmjow and appreciating how good the both of them looked together. At some points, they would crack jokes about previous club experiences that didn't really make sense to Byakuya, but it didn't matter. He'd ask later.

For now, he was going to enjoy the night.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Roppongi is a district in Tokyo with a popular nightclub scene among locals and foreigners. And yes, Halibel, Grimm, and Nelliel are back! I wanted them to come back at some point, seeing as they're my favourite Espada.
> 
> Note: Orihime being from Osaka is a reference to the fact that her voice actress, Matsuoka Yuki, is also from Osaka.
> 
> Let me know how I did :) Have a good one!


End file.
